HESI Transparency

Upholding Standards of Quality and Rigor

ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) is a
public, nonprofit, scientific organization that provides a forum for public-private scientific collaborations that move science to solutions. HESI activities are guided by the principles of:

INTEGRITY– demonstrated by honest and ethical behavior and earned reputation for transparency and trustworthiness.

SCIENTIFIC RIGOR – demonstrated by a dedication to quality data and innovative evidence-based solutions relevant to current and anticipated scientific and social challenges

HESI’s reputation of integrity, scientific rigor and collective insight is exemplified through our core values of being solutions-oriented, collaborative, transparent, independent, and commited to excellence, which are reflected at all levels of the organization – from strategic leadership of the Board of Trustees to the nuts and bolts of the scientific committees.

HESI creates opportunities to collaborate.

HESI provides an open, collaborative environment where members from the public and private sectors work together to tackle global challenges. We strive to make solving complex scientific problems more efficient by providing our members with access to the best minds around the world and encouraging them to come together to find solutions.

Diversity in Partners – In 2017, HESI collaborated with over 250 organizations. By bringing together people from diverse backgrounds (foundations, NGOs, academic research institutes, and industry) we promote innovative ways of looking at problems and improve the final outcome.

Responsive Project Mechanisms – HESI has multiple mechanisms where our technical and managerial expertise can be engaged to convene the right partners and develop efficient approaches to the most relevant emerging sciences and.

HESI is driven by solutions.

The research conducted by HESI committees is designed to use scientific principles to find and test real solutions that can be applied across fields of science. This solutions-based approach is why our funders and members feel confident that their resources are being used efficiently to produce results that benefit the greater good.

Strategic Plan – The elements of how HESI plans to achieve its strategic goal of being an essential resource for convening diverse expertise to translate science in an application is fleshed out in the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan document.

Meeting Health Challenges – HESI’s programs have routinely generated data that have been submitted and considered by national and international health protection oversight bodies (e.g., OECD, ICH, FDA) for decision-making and improving best practices in safety and risk assessment.

HESI is transparent.

Transparency and the sharing of data across industries and sectors are essential to the integrity of research. The data and findings that HESI’s working groups produce are publicly available through the peer-reviewed literature, databases, and other means so that others can use it to guide their own research, often shortening project timelines and enhancing efficiency.

Code of Ethics – All members, scientific advisors, consultants, other key stakeholders in scientific activities are made aware of the ethical principles guiding ILSI’s organizational structure and the framework to guide ethical decision-making. In addition, HESI has developed and adopted its own Mandatory Policies to govern its scientific efforts.

Conflict of Interest Declaration – Every member of HESI’s Board of Trustees acts in the best interest of HESI and discloses actual and potential conflicts of interest.

Antitrust Statement – Staff, trustees, directors, members, advisers, task forces, committees working groups and members of HESI adheres to ILSI’s Antitrust Policy which applies to all meetings and related functions.

HESI is independent.

We are an independent organization that advocates the use of science in making decisions that affect human and environmental health across the public and private sectors.

Neutral – HESI maintains strict neutrality around policy issues and our governance structure requires a balance of public and private sector participation on our Board. Additionally, all scientific programs are required to be led by public-private collaborative teams that bring diverse disciplinary expertise. This independence improves cross-sector communication and fosters novel collaborations across a variety of sectors.

Open, Peer-to-Peer Forums - HESI ensures that all the participating scientists have a say in the research conducted, the studies implemented, and the conclusions drawn. This commitment is written into our governing bylaws, guides our efforts to collaborate, dictates our transparency, ensures our independence, and supports our commitment to excellence.

HESI is committed to excellence.

Our technical committees are responsible for the hard, understated work of testing processes and frameworks that allow scientific data to be translated into solutions that protect the environment and human health. The committees generate accessible and reliable technical resources that are put into the public domain via peer-reviewed publication, databases, and scientific meetings for use by scientists and decision-makers across the globe with the aim of creating reproducible data and approaches.

Open Access: Since 2016, over 75% of HESI publications have been made Open-Access. In addition, both the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology and Protein Allergenicity Technical Committees have committed to making all committee publications open access.

Enhancing reproducibility of chemical and drug safety testing – HESI collaborations have made reference cell and test compounds, and their supporting guidance and publications, available to public repositories.